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Thursday, 21 November 2013

Top seeds close out dominate season

Kylie Waschuk collected her fourth Tennis Manitoba Open
Tour women's singles title of 2013 at the WWC Indoor Open
held last weekend at the Winnipeg Winter Club.

By Geoff Kirbyson

Kevin Kylar and Kylie Waschuk capped off dominating performances this season by taking home the last singles titles of the year at the WWC Indoor Open.

Perhaps the only surprise of the tournament for Kylar, 19, was how hard he was pushed by Sean LaCap, in a 6-3, 7-5 win in the final. (He had lost only four games in his three previous matches.)

The victory gave Kylar his fifth Tennis Manitoba Open Tour title of the year. In August, he also won his second Manitoba Open singles crown.

Waschuk, meanwhile, ousted Michaela Tennant 6-4, 6-2, for her seventh tour win in the last two years. She also won the Manitoba Open this summer.

How dominant was their domination? Well, neither of the top seeds – and top-ranked players for the 2013 season – dropped a set in Tennis Manitoba singles competition all year.

(Kylar lost to India’s Vijayant Malik at the 2013 Manshield Futures at the Sargent Park Tennis Garden in August.)

Both teens have also played extensively outside of Manitoba during the past year. Kylar is attempting to earn his first ATP points – he came within a couple of games of doing so at Manshield – while Waschuk aims to bulk up her resume in anticipation of joining an NCAA Division 1 team next fall.

In 4.5 singles action, Michael Alano defeated Dennis Cann 6-3, 6-2 on the men’s side while Lana Tennenhouse spotted Angela Earl a 6-0 lead before storming back to take the final two sets, 6-3, 6-1.

Ward Lockhart won the men’s 3.5 division with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Glen Dyck.

The final event on the Tennis Manitoba 2013 calendar is the WWC Doubles and Mixed Christmas Classic, which will be held at the Winnipeg Winter Club from Dec. 18 to 22.